Signal device for automobiles



J. KLIPPER.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED FEB.20, m9 1 1,342,049.. Patented June 1, 1920.

- FIG. 1.-

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. KLIPFER.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 20, 1919.

1,342,049. Patented June1, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FIG. 3: FlG-4-:-

SIGEAL DEVIGE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

eas -as.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920..

Application filed 'tebruary 20, 1919. Serial No. 278,180.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Josnrn KLirrnn, acitizen of the United States, residing at Viest New York, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovenient in Signal Devices for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signal devices for automobiles, motor trucks, or other vehicles, whereby the driv 1 may give an indication, at the rear of his vehicle, of an intention to change direction, slow up, or stop, for the guidance of following vehicles; the object beinp to provide a simple and durable construction of this character, which may be easily manufactured and readily applied, at low cost, to any type of automobile or motor truck.

The common practice for a driver to indicate his intention of turning a corner, or changing, his direction, is to extend his arm to one side or the other, but on account of obstructions, and the width of certain motor trucks, and also in the case of closed cars, it is often difficult, and sometimes impossible, to give any adequate signal in this manner, which may be seen by following vehicles, and many accidents have also occurred by failure to give a timely warning by proper signals to those following closely behind.

It is important that the signal device should be adapted to give its indication in advance of the actual turning," of the vehicle, as this would ordinarily be too late to serve as a timely warning, particularly on crowded thoroughfares of rapidly moving: traliic.

' iiccording' to my iinprowment, a base plate or frame carrying, the fixed indications, such as left, right, and stop, mounted at the rear of the vehicle, and a movable arm or pointer is arranged to be turned from one indication to another by a, suitable mechanical transmission operated by the driver. the pointer having an intermediate neutral position, in which it is covered by a fixed shield, and is invisible to those following. AS the pointer is turned from its neutral position to give a certain indication, it emerges from beneath its shield, and is then plainly visible as it moves over its position.

in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 plate or background to the desired is a side elevation of an automobile, with,

one form of my improvement applied thereto, the spare tire mounted at the rear of the car being broken away to show the signal device; Fig. 2, a rear elevation; Fig. 3, a vertical section of the signal device supported in the rim of the spare tire; Fig. 4, a rear elevation of the same; and Fig. 5, a diagrammatic view illustrating one arrangement of Wiring the lighting system of the signal device.

The construction comprises a suitable support, frame, or base plate, 6, carrying indications, such as left, stop, and right, and mounted in any suitable position at the rear of the vehicle. to a preferred construction, however, the base plate, 6, may be fitted within the rim, 7, of the spare or emergency tire, 8, which is usually mounted at the rear of the automobile, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The movable arm or pointer, 9, is preferably pivthat may be employed for,

According adapted to be turned over the base plate, as a. background, to its different indicating positions, The. background is preferably black, while the pointer or arrow is of a contrasting color, such as White, so as to be clearly visible for a considerable distance in the rear of the car. The neutral position of the arrow or pointer is preferably located between the indications left, and stop, and when in its neutral position, the pointer is covered and concealed by a shield, 10, which is rigidly supported upon the base plate, {3, but is free at its side edges to permit the pointer to swing freely be neath. the same. When in its neutral position, therefore, the pointer or arrow is covered so as not to be visible from a position in the rear pointer is moved from its neutral position, either way toward an indicating position, it

of the car, but as soon as the swings away from beneath its shield, and is plainly visible to vehicle, who is thereby immediately warned the driver of a following of an intention of the other driver to turn the body of the car, and having a bevelgear connection with the shaft, 12, extendingnp to the handle, 13, which yeuientlv located the dxiypg' s tay ggu may heron mg wheel, as indicated in Fig, 1-, A quadrant bar, 14, maybe provided having the usual notches for defining the positionsof the handle cgrrespondin to the respective indicating, positions of t pointer, as will be readily understood.

i In order to give an audible warning signal at the same time that the arrow 18 being turned to one of its indicating positions,

an electric bell, 15, may be connected in a circuit with contact bars, 16, so that the cir w'Thecircuit for the cuit is closed by thehandle, 13', wheneyer it is movedawayfrom its neutral position.

QLThe contact bars, 16, are held separate by insulating blocks at their ends, andare also covered, with insulation on their adjacent inner faces at the neutral position of the handle, 13, so that in thatjposition the circuit is normally-open, but wil1 be closed by the handle, making contact with the bars,

, 16, .whenmoved in either direction from said neutral position,

from the plus sideofthefb'atter 23, through wire, 26, to the-bell, 15, thence by wire, 27,

through tubularshafting to one of the contact bars, 16, the other contact bar, 16, being i Q grounded on the frame and thereby electri- 1 ed with the usual lighting system ofthevehicle, assupplled from a battery, 23, sov

cally connected with the return wire of the battery,

Another feature of my improvement relates to means for rendering the signal indication visible at night, or when it is dark, and for this purpose, the position indicators are formed of boxes or casings, 17, each containing a small electric lamp, 18, the top or cover of said casing being of white translucent glass, with the indication marked thereon in black letters. The outer end portion of the'pointer, 9, is also formed as a hollow casing with a white glass top and containing an electric lamp, 19, The wiring system for the signal lamps may be connectas to be illuminated when the usual light switch, 22, for the tail lamp, 230, is thrown on. If, however, it be preferred to have the pointer illuminated only when turned away from its neutral position, its lamp circuit ma be connected with the contact bars, 16,.in t e same manner as thebell circuit so as to be automatically controlled by the V movement of the handle, 13. This circuit may then be traced from the battery through the switch, 22, and by wires, 28 and 30, to

the lamp, 19,]on the arrow, and thence by 1 return wires, 29 and 27, to contact bar, 16, of the handle, 13, as before described. ll; may

also be desired to illuminate theindicatng bellw may be traced positions only at such times as the arrow is turned to point to any particular one, and

in that case the circuits to the lamps, 18, may be controlled bythe movement of the al-row itself by engagement with suitable contacts, 21, in its respective indicati positions, as shown in Figsl tand 5. hen the arrow is turned to make contact. with any one of the points, 21, as indicated in Fig. 5, by radial lines drawn from the center of the pivot of the arrow, the circuit is closed from wires, 28 and 31, to the lamp, 18, and thence by Wire, 21, the arrow, 9, and ground Wire, 32, to the frame and batterii:i1

. e number plate, 2 1, and tail lamp, 20,

may be conveniently supported from the base plate, 6, by a bracket, 25.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is z 1. In a vehicle signal device, the combina tion of a base plate mounted at the rear of the vehicle, and carrying fixed indications in different positions, a movable indicating arm carrying an electric lamp and having a neutral position intermediate of the other positions, a fixed shield covering said arm in its neutral position, a handle and mechanism adapted tobe operated by the driver vtive positions, a switch for the pointer light controlled by the movement of said handle, and switch means for the fixed lights controlled by the movement of said pointer.

3; In a vehicle signal device, the combination of a base plate mounted at. the rear of the vehicle and carrying fixed indications each having an. electric lamp, a movable pointer inounted on said plate and also carrying anelectricv lamp, mechanism for moving" said pointerfto its respective positions, and for also controlling the circuit to said lamp. on the pointer and switch means for said fixed light circuits controlled by the movement of said pointer.

lutestimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, p,

. JOSEPH KLIhPER, 

